Mental Health First Aid Course

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID ENGLAND COURSE: TWO DAYS

Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace

Ideal for: Staff at every level
Length: Two days
MHFA Course Cost: £300 per person

This two-day course qualifies participants in Mental Health First Aid.

Mental Health First Aiders have:

• An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing
• Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental illnesses
• Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
• Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
• Knowledge to help someone recover their mental health by guiding them to further support – whether that’s self-help resources, through their employer, the NHS, or a mix

What to expect from Mental Health First Aid Training:

This two-day course will cover: 

• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) for a range of situations and action-planning for using MHFA.
• The basics of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychosis –  including a variety of risk factors, symptoms and treatment options.
• In-depth workplace wellness information and MHFA skills training for the workplace.
• Key information about mental health stigma and discrimination, how it can present and how to combat it.
• Key suicide figures, as well as first aid for suicidal crises and traumatic events.
• Self-harming behaviours and an understanding of crisis intervention.
• Self-care techniques and other mental health skills such as non-judgemental listening and more.
• Alcohol, drugs and how they impact mental health.

Through group activities, presentations and discussions, each session is built around a Mental Health First Aid action plan. We can deliver training to a maximum of 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn.

Why Mental Health First Aid Training is Important

This Mental Health First Aid two-day course enables staff to become confident Mental Health First Aiders, capable of actioning correct, timely support to fellow colleagues.

Staff suffering from mental health issues need to receive the correct advice and support. While medical professionals can be the first step in this journey, being positively guided toward that first step is imperative. 

This is why it’s beneficial to have staff trained in identifying and supporting mental health issues in the workplace. Mental Health First Aid training is one of the best ways to adequately equip staff with the training and knowledge needed to aid their own wellbeing as well as help those around them. A mentally healthy environment with a trained mental health first aider can drastically improve workplace culture.

This mental health first aid training course teaches staff how to recognise the early warning signs of mental ill-health problems, whilst gaining insight into how to access the appropriate professional help for a mental health issue, and developing an understanding of how to actively promote and support positive mental health and physical health.

Participants learn about the signs and symptoms of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, psychosis and self-harm, as well as learning how to signpost if someone expresses suicidal thoughts. 

The course actively addresses stigmas, myths and prejudices surrounding mental health problems and tackles these, imparting practical skills that empower staff to help others. This includes learning myths about mental illnesses, which raises awareness and prevents further harm to staff struggling with mental illness.

Some of the most valuable mental wellbeing skills participants learn are non-judgemental listening skills. Non-judgemental listening skills focus on the ability to just listen, suspending any thoughts or beliefs we may possess that could cloud our ability to help someone. This allows the speaker to openly convey their emotions and feelings without fear, helping to aid a more positive resolution.

By investing in employees and possessing the correct Mental Health First Aid knowledge, workplaces and managers can begin to challenge the stigmas that surround mental ill-health at work. This support runs further than just employees too, as every staff member trained in Mental Health First Aid is capable of extending their skillset further into their families and communities.

Upon completion of the Mental Health First Aid course everyone receives:

• An MHFA manual and workbook to keep and refer to whenever they need it
• A certificate to say they are a Mental Health First Aider

We also offer shorter one-day and half-day courses: MHFA Champions, MHFA Aware, an MHFA refresher course and a Suicide First Aid Course.